Free-wheel hub with a plurality of gears.



F. J. OLSEN.

FREE WHEEL HUB WITH A PLURALITY OF GEARS. APPLICATION FILED JULY I5, e912.

1,,Q49,65& Patent ed Dec. 11, 1917. I 95 2 $HET$-SHEET I.

/- I jikI/QILMW F.J.OLSEN. FREE WHEEL HUB WITH A PLURALITY 0F GEARS APPLICATION FH ED JULY 15. I912- Pamtented Dec. H, 191?.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FREE-WHEEL HUB iii] A PLURALITY F GEARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 11, 1917;

Application filed July 15, 1912. set-a1 No. veaeia.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Fnnninun Johannes @Lsinv, a subject of the Kingof Denmark, and residing at Fskebj erggaard pr. Svebolle, Denmark, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Free-VVheel firms with a Plurality of (tears, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip tion.

ln my previous application, Serial No. 658,621 of Novbr. 4th, 1911,1have disclosed a free wheel hub with a plurality of gears, anda prominent feature in the same is that a friction body, (a tubular spring sleeve which is cut up) rotating with the sprocket wheel, through axial displacement is brought into or out of frictional engagement with a screw threaded sleeve, which through axial displacement on the fixed shaft causes coupling or uncoupling of the sun wheel of the planetary system.

ll-lubs of this kind suffer from the drawback that the highest earing is that, at which the transmission of the power takes place through the pinions, while the lowest gearing is produced by different parts of the hub being coupled together into awhole. The highest gearing being most used and the lower gearing, which is generally only used driving up hill and in a strong, 0011- trary wind, being relatively less used, it would be more rational to let. the gearing which is most used, 5. e. the highest gearing, be the one at which no relative movements take place between the parts of the hub, while the transmission of the power through the pinions will then be relatively less used. This can be attained. by a pinion being inserted between the planet wheel and the sun wheel, which pinion reverses the direction of the rotation of the sun wheel during free running. This device is well known, being shown in my prior application, 658,623, filed November 1-, 1911, nowabandoned, and German Patent 55,513. When this de vice is used in connection with hubs of the kind according to the presentinventien this incurs a slight alteration in the arrangement of the friction body previously mentioned. While the screw which is fixed on the shaft has a left hand thread according to rny, above named previousapplication, 658,621 the screw according to the present invention must have a right hand thread, since coupling of the sun wheel to the, fixed shaft in the manner stated in my previous application will otherwise not bepossible.

If, however, a right hand screw is used, the above named friction body must rotate in the opposite direction in order to be able to effect coupling and uncoupling of the sun wheel. According to the present haven tion this is obtained by arranging the triotion body in question, whiclrscrews the sleeve forward andbackward on the screw, on the sun wheel proper androtatingsaid body with the wheel by means of friction. It is found, moreover, that this arrangementof the friction body can be used with a system having only one planet pinion.

111 the drawing-- Figure 1 shows a section through the partsin question of a hub according to the invention, l

Fig. 2 a side view of the friction spring,

Fig. 3 the same in section according to the line 33, Fig. 2,

Fig. 4: a modification, and

Fig. 5 a detail of the form shownin Fig. l,

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing my improved cam mechanism for driving and braking the outer hub,

Fig. 8 is a detail of construction,

Fig. 9 shows the specific construction of the cam member,

Fig. 10, discloses the inner casing,

Fig. 11, a sleeveinember,

12, discloses the specific construction of the fixed shaft,

Fig. 13, is a, detail in side elevation of the form shown in Fig. at and l Fig. 141-. is similar to Fig. 13, except that itdiscloses the parts in cross section].

The different parts are designated by the same letters as the corresponding parts in my previous application numbered 658,621. a is a fixed shaft, which is provided with a worm thread 5 and a up cone '10 for the ball bearing. cl is the inner hub casing and e a disk mounted on the shaft 0; serving for securing the brake ring f. A sun gear 9 provided with a hollow cone is mounted loosely on the shaft a, between the worm Z), and the cone 0, which gear can be coupled to or released from respectively the shaft (1, by means of an interilorly threaded sleeve 71, arranged on the worm b.

The displacement of the sleeve it takes place by means of a resilient coupling ring n,

havingan interior-friction flange 51 engagingone end of the sleeve h. A sleeve m, loosely carries the resilient coupling ring a and i shifted axially by means of a rod 7', which is led through the, hollow shaft a engaging the sleeve m, by means of a pin q, which is-led through a slit in the shaft a and entersinto openings in the sleeve m. Itwill be understood that sleeve 11 while shifted axially'by sleeve m, is rotated only by thesun-gear g.

The: pin Q is acted'upon by one end of helical spring 8, which is placed atone side of the sleeve msurrounding the shaft a, and fixed at If, so that the spring 8 tends to force the sleeve 12?, into the position shown in Fig. 1, when the stress within the spring, caused by displacement of the sleeve m, is released. In the po'sition'shown in Fig. 1, the gear 9 is coupled to the shafta. The gear f/ is constantly' in mesh with the gears 10 which turn on pins '2), and the gears 10 are-constantly in mesh with gears: 50 also journaled on pins carried by (Z and which mesh with the inner toothed rim to of the outer hub casing in. In order to prevent turning of the sleeve m, the same is provided with projections .2, engaging with'slits Or longitudinal slots 7 in the inner hub casing (Z, so that the latter and the sleeve m are connected to rotate together; however, on account of the slits :1 having a certain length, the parts can be suflicientl manuall dis )laced to effect coupling or connecting of the gear g. The worm b is right handed, and the friction springfa has the form shown in Figs. l-3, and is arranged in such a manner that it will follow the axial displacement of the sleeve m without following the rotation ofthe same, while it is carried around by the sun wheel 9 through friction. It will be understood that the friction spring it engages the sleeve m by Ineansof a flange 13 shown in Fig. l whichfits into a groove in the end of the sleevem with sufficient looseness so that the spring 42 may turn independently of the sleeve we when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, the friction flange 51 .of the sp'ring n is in engagement with the sleeve 71 and the spring a will be turned by means of its frictionalengagement with the surface of the sun gear 9. If now the sleeve m is shifted to the left bymeans of the rod 1*, th spring n will continue to turn with the sun gear. 9 but the sleeve it will not be affected thereby because the flange 51 will be moved out of engagement therewith. As seen in Figs. 2 and 3 the spring a is tubular and cut lengthwise for its entire length, while it is also partly cut up crosswise, so that the two parts of both sides of the cutting can yield independently of each other. In the position of the parts shown in Fig. 1 the sun wheel 9 iscoupled to the shaft (1 and the low gearing is in activity. If the pedals are now kept quiet during forward running the sun wheel 9 will, owing to the pinions inserted between the same and the planet whecls, move forward too and thereby unscrew the sleeve 7t, so as to loosen the same and free running arises. If new forward pedaling is effected, the sun wheel will turn lmckward. while the spring a will follow the rotation of the sun wheel and couple the sleeve 72, anew. If the sleeve m is displaced to the left by means of the rod r, the spring sleeve 1 will be brought out of engagement with the sleeve/z, which is now by the torsion spring i turned against the shoulder Z2. against which it rests until again through displacement of the sleeve m it comes into engagement with the spring sleeve '21.

The outer hub casing is denoted by m and on this member acts the brake ring on one hand, and driving bodies on the other hand. Vithin the left hub is an inner casing 2 which is rotatably mounted on balls 21. and which is formed with a number of cavities 3 (Fig. 7), in which the bodies p, for effecting the braking and the coupling, are arranged. Parts of the outer surfaces of these bodies are cylindricah as shown at 20, and fit in the cavities 3. The bodies are pivotally mounted on studs 4- which prefcrabl are integral with the part 2. The outer circumferences of the bodies 7) arc oblique and provided with cams 5. which can engage the brake ring f, and with oppositely arranged cams G, which can engage the cylindrical surface of the outer hub casing. Ea :h of the cams 5 and 6 only extend about half the length of the bodies 1', axially. The bodies 7) further carry radial projections 7 of the shape shown in Fig. 7, extending along the axis of the hub, toward the middle thereof, into lots 8 in the sleeve on, the slots 8 being formed between teeth or projections 9.

In the position shown in Fig. 7. the cams 5 do not exert any pressure against the brake ring f, and the cams (3 do not touch the inner surface of the casing, so that the outer hub easing can run freely on its ball bearings in both directions. When the cranks are turned forwardly together with the sprocket wheel, and the sun wheel is loose ,on the shaft (1., the turning of the inner casing (Z causes 8 to turn the bodies 7) around their studs 4 so as to cause the cams G to bear against the cylindrical surface of the outer hub casing, thereby coupling the casing by friction and cansing the same to rotate with the sprocket wheel. llf then the crank be turned backward, the teeth 9 act upon the projections 'i' and turn the bodies 20 in the opposite direction, the cams 5 then bear against the brake ring extending the same against the casing so as to obtain a braking action.

Fig. 4 shows that the same construction and arrangement of the spring a is. also employable in hubs of the kind indicated in the specification 658,621 referred to above with the ordinary construction of the planet wheel system. The fact that the spring a is driven by the sun wheel 9 instead of by the sleeve in, makes it unnecessary to axially displace the same in order to effect a change of the gear ratio.

The rod r can in this case act upon a dis placeable ring 10, one end surface of which is provided with coupling teeth 11. This ring can be displaced into engagement with teeth 12 on the end of the sleeve h, and thereby retain the same (wide Fig. 5), so that during the free running it remains uncoupled from the sun wheel, and that the friction spring it cannot again couple the same to the fixed shaft before the ring 10 has been carried back to the position shown in liig. 4t. The torsion spring 1 shown in Fig. 1 is not used here.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention what T claim is:

1. it wheel hub structure adapted to provide a plurality of gear ratios and comprising in combination, an outer hub having an interior gear thereon, driving means, an inner hub fixed to said driving means, a central fixed shaft, a sun gear mounted on said shaft and having a clutch member fixed thereto, gearing carried by said inner hub and intermediate said sun gear and said interior gear on the outer hub, a worm fined to said shaft, a threaded clutch member carried by said worm, a member having frictional engagement with said sun gear and adapted to be thrown into or out of frictional engagement with said threaded clutch member, and means for providing a direct drive between said inner hub and said outer hub when said sun gear is disengaged from said threaded clutch member.

A wheel hub structure adapted to pro vide a plurality of gear ratios and comprising in combination, an outer hub having an interior gear thereon, driving means, an inner hub fined to said driving means, a central fixed shaft, a sun gear loosely mounted 011 said shaft, gear mechanism carried by said inner hub member and meshing with said sun gear and said interior gear 011 the outer hub, a clutch member fixed to said sun gear, a worm fixed to said shaft, a threaded clutch member carried by said worm and adapted to engage the clutch member on said sun gear, a member having frictional engagement with said sun gear and adapted to be thrown into or out of engagement with said threaded clutch member, and means for providing a direct drive between said inner hub and said outer hub when said sun gear is disengaged from said threaded clutch member.

3. In a wheel hub structure in combina tion, an outer hub, an inner hub having means associated therewith for driving the same, cam members mounted within said outer hub adapted either to brake the hub or to drive the same, a member rotatable within said outer hub on which said cam members are pivotally mounted, and projections carried by said inner hub for turning said cam members into the braking or driving position according as the rider pedals backward or forward.

4. A wheel hub structure comprising in combination, an outer hub having an intcrior gear thereon, driving means, an inner hub fixed to said driving means, a central fixed shaft, a sun gear loosely mounted on said shaft, gearing carried by said inner hub and meshing with said sun gear and with the interior gear on the outer hub, and means for clutching said sun gear to said shaft comprising a worm fined to said shaft, a threaded clutch member carried by said worm, and a member arranged to rotate with said sun gear and having frictional engagement with said sun gear and said threaded clutch member.

In witness whereof T have subscribed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

Fli-EDEETK JUT'lflitliNEfii ULSEN.

l/Vitnesses Coon VILHELM Sonora, Wanna Sitn'rrrne.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the llommiasioner of Patents, Washington, D. U, 

